Footpaths - February 17

I am sure you don't want to hear about sledging, hoosh, and digging ice caves back in 1912 so I talk about footpaths. The footpaths I mostly used in London where wide and in good repair while the ones here in Cambridge are narrow uneven and slope every which way. However they both a a similar problem--people.

The first question I had was which side of the footpath do you walk on?  In London I thought I had worked it out--every block just change sides. That was OK but where do you start? Forget that it was the least of worries.

Cell phones. It is bad enough someone coming up behind you and appearing to talk to you and in a loud voice too. Funny how people using mobile phones seem to think they need to shout. And while on about people talking on cell phones isn't frustrating when some near you is talking loud and all you hear is one half of the conversation. Talking a frustrating, on the way to Cambridge the bus stopped on the main street in Hamstead and there was a big tall chap talking on his phone. He might have been Italian because he was using his arms as much as his mouth or a least one of his arms as the other was holding the phone to his ear. That must have been frustrating for him and curtailed half his conversation. It was worse for the pedestrians. The road was busy and the passerby had to duck or swerve to mist his expressive arm. It wasn't so bad when he was facing out to the road and his arm was swinging downstream but he kept turning at right angle to the flow and the people had to duck. At one point it lloked like he was going to get on the bus, but he didn't. Although I thinks a worse problem are people texting. They seem oblivious to everyone in front of them. Step out of their way at your peril.

The other danger in London were women with push chairs. Normally no problem but beware as you just finish cross a road controlled by lights. Out of nowhere you can be confronted with a speeding pushchair in the control of someone trying beat the red light. Again step out of their way.

Which side to walk on in Cambridge is a little academic because the footpaths are so narrow you could say there is only one side. The footpath surfaces are so uneven it is hard to keep your balance and with he roads also extremely narrow the cars and buses drive with one wheel in the gutter. There is only one side to walk on and that is the side furthest from the gutter.

That is my two pennies worth and just add that yesterday it was minus two degrees and had been raining so irregularities the footpath to SPRI were as smooth as ice.